Poetry Review: Performance Poetry

Big Talk: Poems for Four Voices                                           by Paul Fleischman                        Illustrated by Beppe Giacobbe

Bibliographic Citation: Fleischman, Paul. Big talk: poems for four voices. Illustrated by Beppe Giacobbe. Massachusetts:Candlewick Press. 2000.

ISBN-13: 978-0-7636-0636-7

Review: This colorful, eye-catching poetry book will have kids trying to read it, only to realize that the best way to read it is out loud with three other friends! Kids will enjoy reading and performing these poems. They are cleverly written for the older/upper elementary student to relate to, understand and enjoy.  The repetition of the poetry helps the readers read together and allow it to make sense. The rhythm of the poem will shine through as they read it aloud multiple times. The colored lines make it simple enough to follow along with your dedicated line to share.

Seventh-Grade Soap Opera

  Brenda calls Gregory

                            Derek snubs Catherine

                                                               Ingrid tells Beverly

                                                                                         Jason eyes Jacqueline

Rick gives his e-mail address to Penelope

                                                                 Faith invites Gwendolyn

                                                                 Faith invites Gwendolyn

                                                                 Faith invites Gwendolyn   Chelsea lets Brad read her answers in history.....

(my lines are not exact as in the book)

Introduction to Share:  This poetry book would be a great example of how to demonstrate why poetry is best understood when it is read aloud.  The teacher, or even a lone student, trying to read this poem to themselves or aloud to a class, would not make much sense. But, by assigning lines, the students can read their part and perform it for others to help it make better sense. Students will definitly identify with the "drama" portrayed in the portion of the poem shared. Just by giving these few lines, students can get the idea and could continue writing the poem, in their own words, to make it more relevant to their lives.  Another poem from this book is Ghosts' Grace. This poem is from the perspective of four ghosts watching and remembering what food was like when they were alive.  This poem opens the door for a very cute play for students to act out and for others to write a second act.

Poetry Review: Social Studies

Lady Liberty: A Biography

by Doreen Rappaport

Illustrated by Matt Tavares

Bibliographic Citation: Rappaport, Dorreen. Lady Liberty: A Biography. Illustrated by Matt Tavares. Cambridge:Candlewick Press. 2008.

ISBN-13: 978-0-7636-2530-6

Review:  The poetry of this book is divided into poems about the persons involved in the design, building and construction of the Statue of Liberty.  Each poems talks about the person, their role in helping with every part of the statue and their feelings about it.  I enjoy how the first and last poems and quotes are written by the author to set the scene for the poetry story and how she relates it to her own life.

Emma Lazarus

Poet

New York City. November 1883

Soon when people arrive in the New World,

they will be welcomed

by a caring, powerful woman.

Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me:

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!

Introduction to Share: The many ideas that come to mind in sharing ways to expand on this author's idea are great! By going to this WebQuest: Lady Liberty WebQuest that goes along with this book, after reading the story, students can research more information regarding the statue. I made this WebQuest in another class to be a supportive addition to this book.
Another idea: students could select another American icon and write a poem about it.  Pam Munoz Ryan's book about the flag would be a great example. 

Poetry Review: Science

Scien-Trickery: Riddles in Science

by J. Patrick Lewis

Illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz

Bibliographic Citation: Lewis, J. Patrick. Scien-Trickery: Riddles in Science. Illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz. NewYork: Voyager. 2007.
ISBN-13: 978-0-15-205849-4

Review: This cleverly written book full of science riddles are great little rhymes to get students thinking! The author gives great information in clues within the title, through lines of the riddle, the answer below (upside down) and through the labeled picture clues. The riddles are all written upon notebook paper and look as if you are looking through a spiral.  The vivid pictures only add to the appeal of this great book.

The Old Switcheroo

My father's the arc,
My mother's the spark.
Without them you would
Be left in the dark.

Answer: Electricity

Introduction to Share: Great ideas abound when writing riddles!  Students will love being able to write a riddle about a unit of study to see if they can "trick" their classmates.  To get them started, you could begin the lesson with some basic brain-teasers or riddles, to get their brains in the correct frame of mind.  This website, NIEHS, has a few riddles to get them started. Another idea for a classroom teacher, take the riddle from this book that goes along with the unit of study and read the riddle as the opening point of attention to the lesson. What a great vocabulary builder to begin talking about the clues in the riddle to start the unit.

Poetry Review: Biographical

Eureka! Poems About Inventors

by Joyce Sidman
Illustrated by K. Bennett Chavez







Bibliographic Citation: Sidman, Joyce. Eureka! Poems About Inventors. Illustrated by K. Bennett Chavez. Minneapolis:Millbrook Press. 2002.
ISBN-13: 978-0-7613-1665-7

Review: The poetry for this book is used to describe important people and inventions that we could not live without.  Leonardo da Vinci and his many ideas, Francois-Louis Cailler, who created the first chocolate bar (which I belive many of are glad he did), George de Mestral, the creator of Velcro, and last but not least, Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, which helps us all be here today. Each poem in this book is a description of the person and how their invention idea came to mind. The book is divided into time periods with a brief narrative about each inventor mentioned. The clever wording to describe their thoughts and their product make this a great book to share.

Do Ya Know 'Em?

Do ya know 'em? Can you guess

what they invented? Can you? Yes?

If you can, you'll get a jolt a'

James Watt and Alessandro Volta
or tap along with Samuel Morse
and Wilhelm Gieger (Count, of course).

And while you're at it, do not fail

to give a cheer for Louis Braile
and his countryman --le bon docteur--
the great esteemed Louis Pasteur....

Introduction to Share: This shared poem gives you the opportunity to look up more information on each person mentioned and/or their invention. What a great research tool to get you started.  Here is another place to start looking: Enchanted Learning. 

Another idea: After reading the book Frindle by Andrew Clements, students could write their own poem about the main character, Nicholas, and how his new name/invention for a pen became so popular.

Poetry Review: New 2011 Poetry Book

BookSpeak!: Poems About Books by Laura Purdie Salas
Illustrated by Josee Bisaillon






Bibliographic Citation: Salas, Laura Purdie. BookSpeak!: Poems About Books. Illustrated by Josee Bisaillon. Boston: Clarion. 2011.
ISBN-13: 978-0-54722-300-1

Review: In lieu of a traditional review, I am including a book trailer as an advertisement for this new and exciting poetry book. The rhyme, rhythm, voice of each poem, from the point of view of the book, makes this a must read! Hopefully, not only will this inspire children to read this book, but it will inspire them to read!



Used with permission by the author.

 Calling All Readers

I'll tell you a story.
I'll spin you a rhyme.
I'll spill some ideas -
and we'll travel through time.

Put down the controller.
Switch off the TV.
Abandon the mouse and
just hang out with me.

I promise adventure.
Come on, take a look!
On a day like today,
there's no friend like a book.

Introduction to Share: Calling All Readers would be a great introduction into a story time! What a fabulous way to demonstrate the wonderful things that can be found in a book (time travel, adventure, a friend!). This leading poem can inspire people to read and to write about their own adventures in books.  Have students select a book about an adventure or tell a story about an adventure.  Make connections with this poem through other books shared.
Another poem in this book, I've Got This Covered, talks about the appeal of the book jacket and how it is the first attraction to a book.  Have students make a new jacket to a book they love and want other students to be attracted to.
The ideas are boundless to share poem and book and get students enthralled in reading.

Poetry Review: Verse Novel

Love That Dog by Sharon Creech
Jacket art by William Steig







Bibliographic Citation: Creech, Sharon. Love That Dog. New York : Harper Trophy. 2003.
ISBN-13: 978-0-06440-959-9

Review: Mrs. Creech shares the heart-warming story of Jack, a shy writer, and how his teacher uses poetry to help him express his feelings about the dog he lost.  The journal kept by Jack shows us his reluctance, excitement and energy when he discovers the amazing world of poetry.  Through this story, you feel the emotional connection to Jack as he writes about the loss of his pet, the strong voice of this main character and the healing process that keeping this journal and writing poems about his pet provides for this character.

April 26

Sometimes
when you are trying
not to think about something
it keeps popping back
into your head
you can't help it
you think about it
and
think about it
and
think about it
until your brain
feels like
a squashed pea.

Introduction to Share: This book is an excellent way to demonstrate voice in writing.  By having students keep a writing journal that they share with only their teacher, they are able to express feelings, thoughts, emotions in any form they feel comfortable with. The teacher can give them encouragement to venture into more ideas without embarrassment by sharing ideas in just the journal. The many poems written in this book are perfect jump off points to writing personal poetry about the same concept, idea, or story.  On page 37 and example shared by Miss Stretchberry in the back of the book, students could use these concrete poems as examples to write their own concrete poem.

Poetry Review: Poetic Form

Dogku by Andrew Clements

Illustrated by Tim Bowers

Bibliographic Citation: Clements, Andrew. Dogku. Illustrated by Tim Bowers. New York: Simon & Schuster. 2007.

ISBN-13: 978-0-68985-823-9

Review: The Haiku rhythm found in this story makes it a must share. The endearing story, told through the 17 syllable pattern per page, of a stray dog looking for a home, makes for the perfect book for trying your own version of haiku.  The imagery evoked from the specific vocabulary, used to produce this pattern, appeals to readers of all ages due to the familiar circumstances when meeting a stray animal.

Morning brings children.
Hugs, licks, barking, and laughing.
Warmer than sunshine.

Introduction to Share: Haiku: 17 syllables arranged in a 5/7/5 pattern. The possibilities are limitless for ideas when writing haiku.  This story uses this pattern to tell the whole story. The sample given above is a perfect example of how just a short pattern can tell a small story.  Students will find it easy to write about a pet when using words as in this sample. Each haiku could be used individually as an example or the author's note in the back of the book, expressing his reasons for writing haiku, could be used to "hook" students into writing.